Moroccan Chicken Sheet Pan dinner

Fell in love with food/tagine dishes during our visit to Morocco!

1.5 cups dried fruit – I like dates and apricots

2 T dried parsley

Sea salt

½ t ground cumin

½ t ground cinnamon

¼ t sweet paprika

¼ t cayenne pepper

¼ t ground turmeric

¼ t ground ginger

4 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T lemon juice

4 garlic cloves, crushed

6 Leg quarters

1 large yellow onion

1 med butternut squash, cut into 2 inch cubes

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup mint leaves

2 T pomegranate seeds for garnish

Place the dried fruit in a bowl and add enough hot water to cover.  

Soak for 10 mins to rehydrate the fruit.  Drain water and cut the fruits in half

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a small bowl combine the parsley, 1 T salt, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, turmeric and ginger.

In a large bowl, combine 2 T olive oil, lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, and 3 T of the spice mixture.
Add the chicken pieces and toss, rubbing the chicken to coat each piece well.  Arrange the chicken pieces, skin side up, on side of a large rimmed baking sheet.

Cut the onion into ½ - ¼ inch wedges.  In the same bowl used for the chicken, toss the onion, butternut squash, remaining 2 garlic cloves with the 2 T remaining olive oil and spice blend.  Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in single layer on the other side the baking sheet.

Roast the chicken & vegetables for 20 mins, then carefully sprinkle the rehydrated fruits around the baking sheet and continue to roast until chicken is done about 25 mins more.
Thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken leg should read 165 F.

Serve the chicken with the roasted vegetables and fruits.  Sprinkle with the mint leaves and pomegranate seeds over the top.

Enjoy!

Courtesy of:  Eat what you Love

Strawberry Avocado Salad

Salad:  

kale or salad greens or a mixture of both

1 medium avocado

2 c sliced strawberries

1/2 c Strawberry Vinaigrette

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing 

• 2 cup roughly chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice 

Add the first four ingredients to a high-powered blend and blend until smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste if desired. 

Note:  I freezes leftovers in single sized servings to use for lunchtime salads

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks smothered with Paprika Cashew Cream

1 medium head of cauliflower or 2 small heads of cauliflower

2 –3  T olive oil

Pinch of salt, pepper, and onion powder

Squeeze of lemon

1 cup of Cherry tomatoes, sliced

For the Paprika Cashew Cream Sauce:

• 1/2 – 2/3 cup cashew cream sauce 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• Ground black pepper, kosher salt to taste
• 1– 2 tsp of fresh lemon juice

Garnish with:

• Lemon slices
• fresh parsley or cilantro
• Stuffed green olives
• Olive oil to drizzle
• Sea Salt and Crushed red pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450F.

slice your cauliflower lengthwise through the core. If you have a medium you should get 4 to 5 ‘steaks.’ If you using 2 small heads, you will most likely get 2-3 slices per head.

Slice 1 cup cherry tomatoes, length wise.

Place cauliflower and tomatoes on flat baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and spices (pinch of sea salt, pepper, and onion powder).

Roast at 450 for 9 minutes. Broil an addition 1 to 2 minutes or until the edges the cauliflower steaks have browned and tomatoes blistered.

Remove and set aside.

Next make your paprika Cashew Cream. Whisk together your cashew cream with paprika, cayenne, garlic, salt/pepper, lemon. 

Plate your Cauliflower steaks and tomatoes and garnish each plate with lemon slices, olives, parsley, and additional seasoning of choice.

Spoon paprika cashew cream on top of each steak or serve in dip bowl along side it

Courtesy of:  
https://www.cottercrunch.com/roasted-cauliflower-steaks-paprika-cashew-cream/

Asian Sesame Noodles & Classic Pork Meatballs

Easy weeknight meal, can be made in 15 mins.  

Asian Sesame Noodles

In a food processor puree until smooth:

• 2 T Tahini
• 2 T coconut aminos
• 2 T water
• 1 T unsweetened almond butter
• 1 t toasted sesame oil
• ½ t ground ginger
• ¼ t red peppers flakes
• 1 garlic clove minced 

Warm up portion of Classic Pork Meatballs and set aside

In a nonstick skillet over med high heat; add

• 2 packages of zucchini noodles or 3-4 zucchinis spiralized
• 1 red bell pepper cut into strips  and 4 green onions thinly sliced

Add sauce and meatballs and cook until warmed thru

/2 servings

Classic Pork Meatballs

• 4 lbs ground pork
• 2/3 c minced fresh parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T salt
• 1 t black pepper
• 1 t red pepper flakes
• ¼ c warm water
• 2 t cream of tartar
• 1 t baking soda

Preheat oven to 425 F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

In a large bowl, combine the pork, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  

In a small bowl, mix together the water, cream of tart and baking soda.  

Add the water mixture to the meat mixture and combine.  

Shape into 1 inch balls and place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet

Bake for about 20 minutes, turning after 1st ten mins.  

Remove from oven and let cool.

Divide the meatballs in to 3 portions (about 28 meatballs each)  and store in air tight containers or Ziploc freezer bags for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.   

Notes:  

I generally freeze in 2 bag portions – 7 meatballs per portion.

Zucchini can be spiralized ahead of time and kept in fridge for up to 3 days

Courtesy of:  Whole 30 Cookbook/Melissa Joulwan of Well Fed

Cauliflower & Butternut Squash Dal

Love this!   So glad I gave it a try!  

Always looking for a new veggie/vegan dish and this definitely top marks! 

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely diced (use a food processor)
• 1 T ghee 
• 1 T coconut oil
• 1 T grated ginger
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 lb butternut squash, diced into small cubes
• 2 teaspoons garam masala 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup coconut cream
• Juice of  1 lime
• 1/2 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets

Garnish:

• Fresh coriander chopped
  sesame seeds and dollop of coconut cream 

Instructions

Sauté onion in ghee and coconut oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until softened and slightly golden.

Add the ginger, squash and garlic and stir through for a minute. Add the spices and stir through. Then add the fish sauce, stock, coconut cream, lime juice, salt and sesame seeds and stir through. Bring to boil, turn down to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.

In the meantime, either chop or grind the cauliflower florets into small crumbs. I used a food processor and added separated florets in three batches, whizzed a few times for a couple of seconds each time, until finely chopped up but not completely ground up into dust. You can use a knife and chop the cauliflower super finely.

After 8-10 minutes of cooking the pumpkin, stir in the cauliflower rice and cook together for 5 minutes, covered with a lid. Stir a couple of times.

Using a potato masher, press down the cooked mixture a few times to soften the pumpkin pieces slightly. You want some of the pumpkin flesh to become the sauce itself.

Serve with fresh coriander and a dollop of coconut cream or yogurt. Add a few sesame seeds over the top for presentation.

Adapted from:

https://irenamacri.com/recipes/paleo-cauliflower-pumpkin-dal-recipe/

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with spiced plums & caramelized Red Onions

So easy…. So good!

Sunday supper / company worthy whole 30 dish!

1 boneless pork tenderloin

• 3 T olive oil
• 6 plums, halved & pit removed
• 1 t  cinnamon
• ¼ t nutmeg
• 1 red onion, cut into thin slices

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Pat the pork tenderloin dry and coat with 1 T of olive oil.  Place in pan

Toss the plums with 1 T olive oil and spices.  Add them to the sheet pan

Coat the onion slices with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add to pan.  

Sprinkle with salt & pepper and roast uncovered for 25 to 30 mins. 

Korean Pot Roast with Jicama Salad

Just had to try this dish; I mean who ever heard of making a pot roast using  fish sauce, ginger and jalapeno pepper?  So the search for the elusive jicama began   After checking out every grocer in my neighbourhood; finally located at the St. Lawrence Market.  Quite frankly, did not know what to expect and couldn't wait for dinner time to arrive.

Loved this dish and would be fabulous on a hot summer day; meat was hot!  Yet the jicama salad so cool & jicama tastes so clean& crisp; totally complimented each other and wouldn't change a thing!

Post Roast:

1 t onion powder

2 t ground black pepper

1 chuck roast - 2 lbs

grated zest & juice of 1 orange

1/4 c coconut aminos

2 T of fish sauce (W30 compliant)

2 T rice wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 piece of ginger, approx. 1 inch; peeled and thinly sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 t red pepper flakes

Jicama Salad

3 c of jicama, peeled and cut into match sticks

1/2 orange bell pepper, finely diced

1/4 c red onion, thinly slivered

1 orange, peeled and broken into segments

1/4 c fresh lime juice

1 T EVOO

1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced

In a small bowl, combine the onion powder and the pepper.  Rub the roast all over with this mixture.  Place in slow cooker.  Combine the rest of the ingredients.  Add to the roast and turn to coat. Cover and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

To make the salad:   Combine the jicama, bell pepper, onion and orange segments in a bowl.  Drizzle with the lime juice and EVOO.  Toss to combine.  Sprinkle with the jalapeno.

Remove the roast from slow cooker.  Using 2 forks; shred the meat.  Drizzle with some of the cooking juices and serve with the salad.  

Courtesy of:  Whole30 Slow Cooker; Melissa Hartwig